Developers will get first crack at a tool that promises to help them measure the penetration of their iOS apps. Apple is getting set to release its App Analytics tool, which is currently in beta. It will be available to iOS developers on a first-come, first-served basis.
App Analytics will provide tools to let developers to see how often their apps are visited by consumers. Developers will also be able to find out if their apps are actually opened by users who download them. They’ll also be able to keep track of the sales of their apps and in-app purchases, as well as create links to their marketing campaigns and keep track of their progress. App Analytics will provide the tool necessary to help them understand where their traffic is coming from, specifically which sites are sending customers their way.
Marketing Aid
Analytics can help developers by giving them clues to how to adjust their marketing, advertising, and the features in their apps.
“You’re invited to sign up for the beta of App Analytics,” according to an e-mail Apple distributed Thursday evening. “Be among the first to get insight into how your app is performing. You won’t need any additional code or app updates, and there’s no extra cost.”
Developers who received the e-mail from Apple can sign up to use the service, and they’ll get a response when it’s ready for them to use. Sign ups are being handled at analytics.itunes.apple.com and can also be reached through a link on the iTunes Connect developer portal.
There are third-party tools that already offer similar functionality, but aren’t quite as accurate since they lack exact App Store data. Apple’s app analytics service will have that data, so it could quickly become the preferred analytics software for developers. Plus, the price is right, since the software is free.
WWDC Preview?
It’s not clear where App Analytics came from. Some observers have speculated that the software was developed at least partially with technology from the TestFlight platform, a software platform for bug testing and analytics. Apple gained the rights to the platform when it purchased software parent company Burstly back in early 2014, but shut it down this year.
The beta introduction of Apple’s App Analytics comes just over a month ahead of the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference. WWDC, which will be held in San Francisco June 8-12, will provide a platform for demonstrating and promoting the new analytics software to iOS developers. The conference will host more than 100 tech sessions and 1,000 Apple engineers.
Reaction to the release of App Analytics was positive. “Really impressed so far,” wrote Apple Design Award-winning developer Jeremy Olson on Twitter. “Very helpful info. Finally, we will know what marketing is worth it and what is not.”
